SHEILA'S BLOG #12 - May 2021

                                   BLOG #12

HI Y’ALL!

Sorry it’s been so long since my last newsletter. It’s been a busy, busy month here at Possum County Folk Art Gallery.

We’ve been working on the website and shipping orders almost everyday. We’re so pleased that we are in a position to help the artists that had last years festivals and art shows cancelled. In the last year we went from about 30 artists to over 55. With our active website, we were ready to step in and help get sales that the artists needed badly. Hopefully this year will be better for the artists. I’m happy to report that we’re seeing less and less of those dreaded masks. Hope all your friends survived, sad to say we lost a couple friends to the virus….but, maybe we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope that most of the annual folk art shows and festivals will re-activate..we’re happy to report that they are “full speed ahead” for Minnie Adkins Day (that is an official Kentucky holiday) that will be held Saturday, July 17th in Sandy Hook, KY. PRAY FOR GREAT WEATHER and big crowds!

Speaking of our friend Minnie…did you know that she was featured with an interview on National Public Radio - Thur May 13th…that day and the next, we were overwhelmed with website orders and we SOLD OUT all of Minnie’s carvings and paintings. We’ve had the best month ever, not just with Minnie’s creations. We’ve sold art by 23 different artists and shipped to 21 different states this month. If you’re wanting to add Minnie carvings to your collection…you have to wait a while until she can get back in the groove. If you’re looking for folk art carvings…we still have some nice pieces carved by Jim Lewis, Tim Lewis, Joann Butts, Geo G Borum and Eddie Armstrong...Check 'em out!

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ART SALES ARE BOOMING!

A note in the Wall St Journal reported that New York’s top auction houses Sotheby’s and Christie’s will attempt to auction at least $1 billion in art during a series of in-person and live-streamed sales this spring, marking a return to a somewhat normal rhythm after a disruptive year.

We’re happy to report that SLOTIN’S FOLK ART AUCTION
just set a new record for their April sale.

Here’s a few of the top sellers
Lot 84. Martin Ramirez - Caballero - $46,250
Lot 73. Howard Finster - Giant Angel - $32,500
Lot 105. Myrtice West - Who Is Worthy - $26,250
Lot 98. M.L. O'Kelley - Family Wagon - $24,375
Lot 88. Clementine Hunter - Uncle Tom - $20,000
Lot 87. Clementine Hunter - Jesus - $18,125
Lot 219. Frog Smith - Dowling Camp - $17,500
Lot 108. Marian Spore Bush - World - $16,250
Lot 85. Clarence Woolsey - Figures - $15,000
Lot 262. Lorenzo Scott - Baptism - $13,125
Lot 370. Woodie Long - Red Tulips - $11,875
Lot 145. Daniel Pressley-Wait At Water - $11,875
Lot 122. Gustav Klumpp - Art Gallery - $11,875
Lot 135. James Castle - Double - $10,625
Lot 256. Bill Hemmerling - Mint - $10,000
Lot 264. Mary T. Smith - Dare - $8,750
Lot 158. Rex Clawson - Nude Male - $8,750
Lot 116. Herbert Singleton - Throw Me - $8,750
Lot 69. Edward Laning - The Building - $8,750
Lot 133. S.L. Jones - Bust - $8,125
Lot 76. Howard Finster. Mr. Coke. $8,125
Lot 20. Willis L. Charging Bear - Ledger $8,125
Lot 281. Lonnie Holley - Here to Eternity $7,812
(Prices include 25% Buyer's Premium)

TOTAL FOR DAY….$1,355,125.ºº
Their next 2 Auctions will be Aug 7th and Nov 13th…..Mark it on your calendar.

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WHAT TIME HAS FORGOTTEN JESSIE LAVON

the FOLK ARTIST CAPTURES IN PAINT

She’s a sharecropper’s daughter that paints what she calls "Suthern'ality Style”. She says “I try to capture my family’s way of life from the early 1900’s to the late 1970’s. My paintings show a forgotten past and reflects the disappearing scenes of the south. The south feeds my soul." SEE JESSIE'S BIO

A couple years ago the University of Alabama’s Black Belt Cultural Art Project filmed a documentary on Jessie and her paintings and she’s getting a lot of attention lately. She will be participating in a group showing with 10 other selected artists at the KENTUCK ART CENTER GALLERY - Northport, AL June - July & August. She will be there in person for opening night Thur. June 3rd from 5 to 8pm. She will also be a guest artist at the 50th Annual KENTUCK FESTIVAL - Oct 16-17, 2021.We are proud to have Jessie in our gallery and we have sold many paintings for her in the last year or two. We have a good assortment of over 20 pieces of hers in stock. Her paintings currently are priced at only $125 each. She said: “I haven’t raised my prices in 18 years…they must go up June first to $225”. If you’re interested check our website NOW, she said we MUST raise prices Mon June 7th.

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HERE’S SOME OF THE UPCOMING SHOWS

KENTUCK GALLERY SHOW —Northport AL - June - July - Aug

MINNIE ADKINS DAY - Sandy Hook, KY —— Sat July 17th 2021

DANCING GOATS FESTIVAL - Ellijay, GA - Sept 25th 26th

FOOTHILLS FOLK ART FESTIVAL - Newton, NC - Oct 2, 2021

FINSTER FEST- Summerville, GA - Sat Oct 9th and 10th

KENTUCK - 50th Annual Festival - This is the BIG ONE
Northport, AL - Oct 16 -17th, 2021

The VISIONARY ART MUSEUM in Baltimore has re-opened…
on a limited basis….but you must buy tickets in ADVANCE.

If you know of any more FOLK ART shows that are definitely
going to happen eMail me and we’ll list on our website.

sheila@PossumCounty.net

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